


Blackbird

by Sabinasan



Category: Hakuouki
Genre: Alternate Universe - Genie/Djinn, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Dysfunctional Family, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Eventual Smut, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-22
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2019-07-15 00:31:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16051757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sabinasan/pseuds/Sabinasan
Summary: "It's been said that this item...can impact the fortunes of it's owner—for good or ill."An unplanned purchase brings an unexpected visitor into Satomi's life—a person offering her whatever her heart desires.But matters of the heart are complicated, and wishes can be dangerous things.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Miura Etsu belongs to EHeartAngel. Thanks for letting me borrow her for this AU! And a special shout out to the Sword Family for inspiring this AU and encouraging me to expand upon a few random drabbles. <3

_Blackbird singing in the dead of night_  
_Take these broken wings and learn to fly._  
~ “Blackbird” by The Beatles

Saturday mornings were generally quiet affairs that involved lounging in yoga pants while sipping on tea and reading whatever historical fiction or fantasy novel that had grabbed Satomi’s attention. This Saturday was an exception. Satomi was fully dressed in jeans, a light sweater to ward off the spring chill, and her black hair thrown into a high ponytail. Her usual morning tea—English Breakfast—was in a travel mug. She blearily blinked at the bright sunlight, thinking she wasn’t at all prepared to deal with people at eight in the morning.

Her best friend, Etsu, was chatting away, excitement for this excursion evident in her tone and bouncy step. Satomi took a sip of her tea, hoping the caffeine would wake her up enough to be more social.

“You need to hurry up with that tea! It’s no fun talking to myself!”

Satomi snorted softly. “I’m trying.”

Etsu just laughed, and they continued on their walk in companionable silence. Satomi had originally agreed to check out the flea market because she thought they would be going at a reasonable time for a Saturday—like after ten. She didn’t realize that Etsu wanted to get there first thing, and she didn’t want to be rude by backing out after she already said yes. 

_It’s only one Saturday and I can nap later,_ Satomi told herself. “What’re you looking for at the market?” Satomi finally asked after a few minutes passed.

“Ohhh, nothing in particular! I just want to see if anything grabs my attention!”

Satomi chuckled. “In other words, you’re looking for Shin.”

Etsu grinned as a light pink suffused her cheeks. “But he _always_ buys me gifts, and I never know what to give him in return!”

“Have you asked?”

“Yeah...but he never answers. Jerk.” The last word was said without heat, and her grin softened.

Satomi smiled at Etsu. “I’m glad you’re happy. You deserve it.”

Etsu glanced her way. “You deserve it too, you know.”

“I _am_ happy,” Satomi asserted. “I’m finally living on my own, away from my parents...doing what _I_ want to do, not what’s expected of me.”

“I’m glad.”

They came to a building that had once been a department store but was taken over by the flea market. A vinyl banner hung in the place where the previous store’s logo had been. Right outside was a crowd of people pulling random items out of vans and trucks, carrying them inside. Satomi thought she caught sight of a piece of furniture that looked like an antique, and her curiosity was piqued. Etsu noticed and smirked.

“See? Aren’t you glad you came?”

Satomi sighed with a hint of exasperation at being forced to admit, “Yeah. Even if you _did_ make me get up early.”

Etsu merely laughed and scampered up to the automatic doors with Satomi following at a more leisurely pace. There were curtains hanging off of PVC pipes to separate the sales floor from storage areas. People had wares set up on folding tables, and Satomi was overwhelmed by the variety and sheer amount of items for sale and people inside. She took a deep breath to prepare herself and began wading her way through the crowd.

The incessant dull roar of people chattering bombarded her like biting mosquitos constantly buzzing around her, and she clenched her jaw, wishing she was back home with her cat and a book. Her gaze hopped from table to table, and she reminded herself that it would all be over soon. She hoped that Etsu wouldn’t want to stay for hours because while she could handle everything now, she knew that she would tire rather quickly.

Many of the sellers she passed appeared to be using the market as a way to get rid of items from their homes that they no longer wanted. Many were tchotchkes that could be purchased anywhere. Then there were the serious vendors with handmade goods and even more selling antique objects. Satomi found herself drawn to those vendors, taken in by the beauty, craftsmanship, and any stories the sellers might know about the items.

After passing by several tables, she came across one overseen by an older gentleman with weathered skin and deep crow’s feet. He gave off a comforting sort of aura but Satomi also sensed a sharpness in him that indicated to her that he wasn’t to be taken lightly. She could tell by the warm gleam in his eyes that he held a wisdom that only those who had lived awhile had. His table was a collection of items that she knew were definitely old and probably held many interesting tales. Her fingers trailed lightly over the items in a reverent manner.

“Good morning,” the man greeted kindly.

Satomi turned her attention to him and smiled. “Good morning.”

“Looking for anything in particular?”

She shook her head. “Just browsing.”

“Let me know if you have any questions.”

Satomi shot the man a playful smirk. “Which of your items has the most interesting story?”

He leaned forward and pointed to an object in the middle of the table that Satomi had noticed but didn’t pay much attention to. It was a dirty, gravy-boat shaped item. Upon closer inspection, she noticed fine line tracery throughout the surface. Her mouth dropped open at the intricate designs. 

“This lamp is old—no one is exactly sure how old. There aren’t any written records tied to it, but it has been in the hands of numerous people.”

Satomi’s eyes trailed back up to the man’s face. “Why didn’t anyone keep it for a long time?”

“Ah, you’re very perceptive.”

Satomi smiled bashfully with a soft chuckle. “I’m just naturally curious.”

“That’s not a bad thing.” A short pause. “Well, it’s been said that this item is magical and can impact the fortunes of its owner—for good or ill.”

 _Ah, of course..._ Satomi snorted at the implication that the item was magical. Magic was an enthralling concept, but something she knew was only found in the books she read. “Interesting.” Satomi reached out to touch the lamp, and a finger followed one of the lines carved into the item. “It _is_ beautiful.”

“It’s gold so all it’ll take is a quick clean, and it’ll be good as new.”

“Satomi-chan!” Satomi turned around to see Etsu approach with a bag swinging from her wrist. “There you are!”

“Did you find something for Shin?”

Etsu nodded. “I can’t wait to give it to him! He’s gonna love it!” A short pause. “Did you find anything?”

Satomi shrugged. “Lots of things with really cool stories.”

“Awesome! Did you buy anything?”

“Nah. So what did you get Shin?”

Etsu’s mouth slid up into a mischievous grin. “A comic. A Batman comic...”

Throwing her head back, Satomi let out a loud laugh. “You did not!”

“Okay, okay. I didn’t.” 

“But you’re gonna make him think you did.”

Etsu giggled as the pair began to walk away from the table. “You know me too well!”

“Wait a minute!” Etsu and Satomi paused, both turning their attention back to the man. “I can tell this lamp would be perfect for you.”

Satomi’s smile fell slightly as surprise and confusion filled her. “What?”

The man picked it up off the table and held it out to Satomi. “I’ve been waiting for the right person to sell this to.”

Satomi held her hands up with palms out, shaking them and her head. “Oh no. I couldn’t possibly afford something like that.”

“It’ll only be fifty.”

Satomi’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why d'you want to get rid of it so badly? It must be worth more than fifty.”

The man’s eyes flashed with amusement. “Indeed. But...money could never amount to its true worth.”

“No, thank you.”

“It would make a cool conversation piece!” Etsu chimed in.

Satomi rolled her eyes. _Etsu...please don’t help him!_ “Yeah, but I really don’t need it. The fifty I’d use to buy that could be used for other things.”

“Wouldn’t you like to know if the stories about it are true?” Satomi eyed him warily, taking note of the taunting sparkle in his eyes. “I know you’re already drawn to it. You want to know more.”

Satomi sighed. How did this man figure her out so quickly to play to her love for a good mystery? She knew Etsu would badger her until she gave in, and if she walked away without it, she’d never hear the end of it. She pulled out her wallet from her purse and handed the man the requested amount. He grinned as he took the money and then wrapped the lamp with brown paper. Satomi felt immediate regret for buying something she didn’t need, but she was also curious.

He handed her the package. “Enjoy.”

Satomi flashed him a quick smile before rushing away from the table. The regret was starting to eat at her, and the quicker she got away, the easier it would be to keep going and justify her purchase. Still, the over-arching thoughts in her mind were _I really don’t need this. Why did I buy this_? Etsu chatted away about how she was going to unveil her surprise to Shinpachi, and Satomi tuned it out until she heard her name being called. She looked toward Etsu.

“Huh?”

“What’s the matter?”

Satomi sighed. “I should really return this thing. I have no use for it!”

“Oh come on! You’re allowed an irresponsible purchase every once in awhile! What’re you gonna do with it?”

“Well...clean it first, I guess. I dunno where I’m gonna put it.”

Etsu shrugged. “You’ll figure it out eventually! Oh! What time do you want us over for movie night?”

“Whenever. You know I like having you two and Sano over.”

“Okay!”

The walk back to Satomi’s house was filled with talk of random topics. The two parted ways and Satomi unlocked her door before stepping inside. Shoes were removed and keys placed on a little table before she made her way down the short hall to the living room. She set the lamp—still in its bag—on her coffee table before flopping onto the couch with a loud sigh. 

“I need a nap.”

And with that, she curled up onto her side and promptly fell asleep.

*****

The first thing that Satomi laid eyes on when she awoke was the bag from the flea market. Satomi continued to stare at it, the regret for buying anything churning within her. She began to debate the merits of keeping the object—it was pretty and had an intriguing story—but it didn’t fit into the decor of her home and wasn’t a necessity. She sighed. She was curious about it, and she was one to never turn down a good mystery. She sat up and reached out, pulling the bag to her. She lifted the lamp up and settled it in her lap, giving it a thorough look-over.

The outside was extremely dirty with what appeared to be dust settled in the grooves of the scroll work, and Satomi knew it would take a little doing to get those completely cleaned out. She noticed that among the thin lines were etched what appeared to be ume blossoms. She wondered why that flower had been chosen for something that didn’t look Japanese. She took the lid off to get a good look inside. It was rather plain. Satomi stuck a few fingers inside to check for dust, and immediately snapped them out in shock.

“Cold!” _That’s really weird..._

She brought the lamp to her face for a closer inspection, but the inside was completely empty. She couldn’t find an explanation for why the inside was so much cooler than the ambient air. It didn’t make sense to her. She set the lamp on the table and retrieved a terry cloth from the linen closet in the hallway. She began to clean out the dirt on the lid of the lamp.

Just as she finished polishing the lid, the doorbell rang. Satomi stood, throwing the cloth on the table and went to her door to let her friends in. She was boisterously greeted by Etsu, Shin, and Sano. Satomi smiled as they piled into her living room. Sano has a few paper bags in his arms, which he dropped onto the coffee table as soon as it was in sight.

“I heard you bought a really old but cool looking thing!”

Satomi side-eyed Etsu with feigned annoyance. “I see someone is already hard at work making my purchase a conversation piece.”

Etsu laughed. “It’s not like I have to try hard.”

Sano picked it up, weighing it in his hands. “It’s solid. What’s the story behind it?”

Satomi shrugged as she leaned over his arm to place the lid back on. “Not sure. All the seller said was that it’s old and it has been known to change the fortunes of its owner.”

“Oooo...mysterious!” Shin exclaimed with a lop-sided grin.

“Yeah,” she replied with a slightly embarrassed chuckle.

Sano placed the lamp back on the coffee table and gestured to the bags they had brought. “Take out from our favorite Thai place, as requested for movie night.”

“What’re we watching?” Satomi asked as she began to dig into the bags.

“Black Panther.”

“Ooo...good choice.” Satomi pulled the first container of food out and placed it on the table. “Let me get dishes. Be right back.”

“Want help?” 

“Sure.”

Sano followed Satomi into the kitchen and began pulling plates down from the cabinet. Satomi began gathering silverware. A companionable silence filled the air, though there was something about it that made Satomi begin to tense. They hadn’t spoken to each other or been alone together in just over a week, and Satomi wondered if everything was okay. Based on his easy conduct in the living room, she assumed so, but there was a vein of doubt beginning to push in. When she had enough silverware, Satomi faced Sano. He placed the plates on the counter, his brow furrowing.

“I think we need to talk about the other night?”

Sano shrugged as he looked away. He cleared his throat and met her gaze once more. Satomi sighed in preparation for the conversation she was about to start, her breath fluttering a few strands of her bangs.

“Thank you...for staying with me. I really needed someone there...and you were.”

“You don’t need to thank me. I wouldn’t leave you to deal with all that alone.”

Satomi’s heart was now beating a little faster, and her mouth was starting to dry out as she came to the crux of the matter. “I just wanted to be sure there’s no... _awkwardness_. You’re a very dear friend, and I’d hate for that to be destroyed by me crossing boundaries.”

Sano crossed his arms in front of his chest, his weight shifting to his left leg. She could tell that he was attempting to appear casual, but she could read the slight discomfort in his stance. “Cuddling isn’t crossing boundaries.”

“But you were in bed with me all night,” Satomi asserted, feeling heat blossom in her cheeks. “Some people might misconstrue that as me wanting a different kind of relationship. I...you know I’m not looking for that right now...”

Sano slowly approached her with a crooked smile on his face. He shook his head and reached out to brush her bangs out of her face. They merely fell back to where they were resting previously, which induced a fond smile from Sano.

“I know. I’m sorry if it seemed like I was avoiding you. I just...needed time to process everything and figure out how I feel. You’re dealing with some complicated family stuff right now, and the last thing I wanna do is add to your stress.” A pause. “You know you can rely on me...and it won’t change just because you don’t want anything other than friendship.”

“Are you sure?”

Sano nodded with a chuckle. “Yeah. And besides...I don’t think we’d be a good fit in that kind of relationship.”

Satomi snorted with amusement. “No...I don’t think so either. I wouldn’t want to put you in the position of having to deal with my father.”

A soft snort. “Well, it’s not like you should be in that position either. I’m not gonna tell you what to do in terms of dealing with him...you know.”

“Yeah, logically. As a counselor, I know what I should do for myself. But emotionally...”

“Yeah. It’s a process. And I’ll be here to support you as you work through it.”

Satomi smiled as she looked to the floor. “Thank you. It really means a lot to me.”

It was then that Etsu stuck her head through the doorway. "Hey! Does it really take that long to get plates and silverware, you two?"

Satomi's head whipped toward Etsu at the first sound of her voice, and the heat radiating from her cheeks grew. She made her way across the kitchen to the doorway with the silverware in her hands. Etsu pinned her with a knowing smirk, which made Satomi shake her head. She hoped she was conveying to Etsu that she didn't want to discuss any of this right now. 

They returned to the living room and after getting everything settled, they started the movie. Satomi sat in the corner of the couch with her legs drawn up to her chest and a plate of food balanced on her knees. Sano sat next to her, though there was space that was maintained between the pair, and it didn't pass Satomi's notice that Etsu would peer back every once in awhile to see what was going on. 

Satomi was far too aware that Etsu thought that she and Sano would make a good couple, but Satomi had never been interested in Sano like that. She enjoyed his company, and she loved that he was an easy person to talk to. She had never considered him as a potential lover, but after he spent the night, she realized that he could see it as a real possibility. In fact, she hadn't been thinking about delving into any sort of intimate relationship, which was why she felt she needed to address her meltdown with Sano before things became misconstrued.

Thinking back on her father's drunken voicemail with slurred insults and untrue accusations brought back the chest-tightening and throat-clenching anger and desolation she had felt that night. She leaned forward to take a deep swallow of water from her glass, hoping to banish those thoughts. Logically, she knew none of it was true, but there was a tiny voice in the back of her head that told her otherwise.

 _He's right...you use people and throw them away when it's convenient. Just look at what happened with Sano the other night._ Satomi had to set her plate aside and bury her hands in her lap to clench her fists. She focused on taking a few deep breaths before returning her attention to the movie. She forced herself to concentrate on that--a distraction from the negative thoughts that always made her question everything she ever did.

Once the movie had finished, Etsu, Shin, and Sano helped her clean up the garbage from their take-out before saying good night. Satomi watched them all leave from her doorway before shutting the door with a loud sigh. She shuffled back to the living room, her eyes immediately landing on the long-forgotten lamp. Beside it was the terry cloth. 

"I guess I should finish cleaning you since you're a little mis-matched."

She settled herself back on the couch and brought the lamp to her lap once more. She gave it a once over, thinking about where to start cleaning. Deciding that it didn't matter, she covered her pointer finger with the cloth and began to rub vigorously at an ume blossom etched into the side. She immediately felt the metal begin to heat in her hands. She stopped cleaning, alarm growing in her as the metal became hotter. She yelped, letting it drop to the floor with a clang. Purple smoke began pouring out of the top and the spout.

Satomi's heart hammered against her ribs, and she curled up once again, frozen in place as she watched the thick smoke continue to curl out of the lamp and spin toward the ceiling. She closed her eyes, wondering what was going on. She wasn't sure how much time passed, but the room remained silent except for the sound of her blood rushing in her ears. Her eyes snapped open to see a man with long black hair tied back into a ponytail staring at her with piercing violet eyes. His arms were crossed and buried deep in the wide sleeves of a purple hakamashita, and a white obi kept grey hakama in place. She slowly uncurled herself, her eyes narrowed in thought.

"Master." His voice was a deep baritone, and his greeting was sardonic.

Shock jolted through her. "Excuse me, what?"


	2. Chapter 2

Satomi's verbal expression of her confusion hung between the pair, earning her a belabored sigh and narrowed eyes from the stranger standing across from her. Her mind raced in an attempt to make sense of what had happened, but it was all simply beyond belief. Just from her extensive reading of novels in the fantasy genre, Satomi suspected she knew what he was, but the logical part of her brain was denying that assertion. There was just _no way_ that this was real. She briefly wondered if she was making up the man in the room.

"Well?"

 _Yeah...that voice is definitely not a figment of my imagination,_ Satomi told herself. "Who are you?"

"I'm the Genie of the Lamp. I'm here to grant you three wishes."

"You're...a genie," she stated, having a hard time coming to grips with the outlandish statement.

"Yes, Master." The reply was biting and judgmental, which made Satomi bristle for several reasons. 

"Excuse me for verifying that I heard you right," Satomi snapped, crossing her arms. "I wasn't expecting someone to show up in my house this late at night calling me master. It's...surprising. And I _especially_ don't appreciate the implication that I'm stupid."

"I didn't say you were. You inferred it." A slight pause. "Master."

Satomi's eyes narrowed as her face flushed a deep crimson. " _Stop_ calling me that!"

He glared at her, and it became clear to Satomi that he was going to continue to be defensive. His demeanor was very upsetting, but she was aware that neither of them were going to get anywhere if they both continued to be confrontational. She uncrossed her arms and stood, hoping the more open body language would help diffuse the tense situation. She exhaled as a way to indicate a change in tone and to provide herself a moment to calm her ire.

"This isn’t going well. Let’s start over. I'm Tanaka Satomi. You...can call me Tanaka. That'll be way better than _master_.” Satomi waited for a reciprocal response, but when none came, she sighed and rolled her eyes. “What can I call you?”

“Genie.”

Satomi blinked with disbelief, and a little vein of sympathy made its presence known. “Oh...don’t you have a name? Or, did...” She hoped she wasn’t being too intrusive with her questions

He pulled his arms from his sleeves and let them dangle at his sides. He looked away from her. “I have one. I don’t want _you_ to know it.” The reply was soft, but sharp enough that it carried well across the room.

“Why?” His combative nature was aggravating Satomi, and her body was beginning to heat in response to the continued animosity. Her fingers trembled, and she recognized the warning signs of her own temper beginning to rise.

He met her gaze once more. “Why does it matter? I won’t be around long enough anyway. Just...make your wishes and be done with it.”

She was absolutely stunned. She wasn’t even sure what to think or how to respond to him. The trembling was getting worse, and her hope to strike a more amiable conversation vanished.

“I...I don’t even know _what_ to wish for!”

“Then summon me when you do.” And with that, the genie vanished. 

Satomi stood still for a beat to process everything before she released a frustrated sound from deep within her throat. _I don’t need this type of negativity in my life! I’m returning this piece of...crap tomorrow!_

Satisfied with her decision, Satomi picked the lamp off the floor and placed it in the bag. She then grabbed her cell phone and set an alarm. While she hated early mornings, she could deal with the early hour if it meant ridding herself of someone she didn't need in her life. She nodded with conviction and made her way down the hall to her bedroom.

*****

The next morning, Satomi walked as quickly as her early morning hating-body allowed to the flea market. After wandering around the crowded space for what seemed like an eternity, she finally found the seller she had been looking for, and she raced to the table, producing the partially polished object from the bag. She slammed it down on to an empty spot on the table with a deep inhale, garnering the elder man's attention. Her hands remained on the lamp as she stared him down.

His eyes drifted to the lamp for a moment before flicking back to her face. "Can I help you?"

"I want you to take this back."

The man smiled knowingly. "I see. You revealed the contents."

She stood to her full height, her eyebrows drawing in as her hands slid from the lamp. "Wait...you _knew_?"

The man stood, the smile still plastered on his face. "I knew you'd be a good choice."

Annoyance was beginning to prickle at the back of her head, and the last thing she wanted to do was lash out when she was requesting a return. "What d'you mean?" Her voice was steady, but she couldn't keep the sharpness out of it.

"Come with me...I have something to show you." He motioned to the lamp. "And...bring that with you. I didn't spend years protecting it only to have it fall into the wrong hands."

Satomi's mouth gaped open, but did as she was told. Despite the situation, the man exuded a sense of trustworthiness that Satomi found difficult to ignore. The man pushed aside the curtain behind him and beckoned her to walk through to what appeared to be an empty space.

When Satomi made it to the other side, she peered around to find a storage area. There were a couple of wooden folding chairs, some boxes stacked on top of each other, and to the left was a daisho rack with two swords on display. One was in a red sheath and the other in a black one. Satomi was briefly intrigued by the presence of the swords but didn't find it unusual for the type of items he sold. Her attention wandered back to the man.

He went over to a low-lying table sitting next to the boxes where an electric kettle rested along with porcelain cups and a box of tea leaves. He flipped the switch on the kettle and set himself to the task of making tea. He turned to Satomi to offer some to her, which she declined.

"I haven't introduced myself. I'm Inoue Genzaburo. You may call me Gen-san or Gen."

"I'm Tanaka Satomi," she greeted, a vein of unease beginning to make itself known. She decided it was best to get her business done and over with quickly, and she launched into her explanation. "So...I can tell you're not gonna think I'm crazy when I talk about some random guy popping out of the lamp seeing as that you knew before you sold it to me...but I just...I need you to take this back."

Gen-san chuckled. "Why do you want to get rid of it so quickly?"

"I just..." Satomi looked around the room to find an empty chair. She found one next to the daisho stand, and she quickly sat down, placing the lamp in her lap. "I...don't know what to do with three wishes."

Which was partially true. Gen-san finished making his tea and turned to face Satomi, blowing on the liquid in his cup to cool it. He sat down in a chair next to the table.

"I know there's more to it than that. _Everyone_ figures out what to do with three wishes."

 _Ohhhh...he’s good at reading people._ "Okaaay...well, the... _man_ residing in the lamp. He's _rude_."

Gen-san smiled over the rim of his cup before he took a sip. "I suppose I'd be rude too if I was imprisoned in something like that for a few hundred years."

Satomi exhaled through pursed lips, the released air fluttering her bangs. "Okay, you have a point. But-"

"The swords beside you belonged to a fierce warrior," Gen-san cut her off, his eyes closing as he sat back in his chair with the cup cradled within his weathered hands.

Satomi wanted to interrupt—to know why this was important to her current predicament—but something told her that he was enjoying the slow unveiling of the information he had. As much as she wanted to be done with the genie and to move on, she couldn't deny that she was a little curious about what Gen-san had to say.

"Hijikata Toshizo was on his way to greatness during a time when the world was at a crossroads. He assisted with the establishment of a group of warriors who fought for a common cause and a set of ideals."

"Oh!" Satomi exclaimed when it dawned on her that he was talking about the genie. "So that's his name!"

"He didn't tell you his name?" Surprise laced his tone.

Satomi shook her head. "He refused. Asked why it mattered that I knew."

Gen-san scoffed with a shake of his head. “He’s a stubborn one.”

“Ahaha...I would chalk that up to _more_ than just stubbornness.”

“Mmm...perhaps. So much has happened to him...more than I even know.”

“Wait...you know him?” Gen-san nodded, which made her mouth drop in disbelief. “But you said he’s been imprisoned for a few hundred...just how old _are_ you?”

Gen-san laughed. “What a rude question.”

Heat flamed her cheeks. “It’s not,” she replied defensively. “You look...not your age.”

“You’re right. I’m much older than I look. But that’s not important.”

“But it is! Why didn’t you keep the lamp? If he’s been through so much, why are you entrusting him to a stranger?”

He sipped at his tea once more. "It’s a complicated matter and one that requires you to know a good deal more than you do.” A lengthy silence ensued, and Gen-san drank deeply of his tea before continuing with his tale. “A man joined our ranks...a man who was bitter with the hand life had dealt him. Toshi-san found Serizawa...abhorrent, for he didn't live the ideals he joined the group to fight for."

"And what kind of ideals did Hijikata-san fight for?”

"To protect the people...to live and fight honorably as warriors should." A pause. "Serizawa was a petulant man and wanted to prove that he was just as much a warrior as the ones born to it. He had little patience for being diplomatic. When he was crossed, he responded with violence without thought of consequence. Or, if he did, he didn't care. Toshi-san realized that our continued affiliation with him would hurt us more than help us."

"He was damaging your reputation.”

"Mm. Attempts to talk to Serizawa failed, and the leaders were left with no choice but to rid themselves of him permanently. Toshi-san took it upon himself to kill Serizawa. But Serizawa figured out what was coming. On the night of the planned assassination, Serizawa revealed himself to be a sorcerer, and he cursed Toshi-san to an eternity of servitude for daring to take his life."

An uncomfortable break in conversation ensued, and Satomi watched Gen-san casually drink his tea. She had no idea what to make of all of this. Her logical side argued the existence of magic. And yet...something happened that defied all explanation--something she thought was only possible in books and movies. A genie offering her three wishes, a man who placed a curse on said genie, and a man who outlived the typical lifespan. It was her love of all things fantastical that accepted all of this without question and told her logical side to shut up.

Satomi slowly blinked as her mind raced to make sense of the fantastical tale. "This is all so..."

"Hard to believe? I've heard that before."

"Yeah," she murmured. Then, a thought struck her. "If Hijikata-san was cursed, then...that must mean that there's a way to break it!"

Gen-san gave a nod. "Indeed."

"Then...why didn't _you_ do it?"

"Serizawa disappeared immediately after imprisoning Toshi-san. It was by luck that I found him when I did. But even so...Serizawa made sure that anyone who knew Toshi-san couldn't break the curse. So, ever since I found him, I made it my mission to find someone who could do it."

Satomi looked down at the lamp, her emotions in turmoil. Despite the rough introduction, she was upset that this had happened to Hijikata. His roughness made more sense to her now, and she wished she hadn't reacted the way she did. She sighed, her shoulders heaving. One more question popped into her mind, and she glanced back up at Gen-san.

"Why me?"

"The lure of a change in fortune didn't sway you to purchase. You walked away. Even now, you're here attempting to give the lamp back to me. And even after meeting him...I can see you're affected by his predicament."

Her glance traveled to the lamp, and her fingers curled tightly around it. "I...yeah." She looked back up at Gen-san. "But even if I wanted to help, he'd have to want it too."

Gen-san stood. "Summon him."

Satomi inhaled deeply and held her breath as she rubbed the side of the lamp. As purple smoke billowed out once again, she released her breath, noticing that her whole body was tense, preparing for another onslaught of negative energy. Soon, the smoke cleared and the genie, who she now knew as Hijikata Toshizo, stood between her and Gen-san. He was glaring at her, and Satomi's eyes immediately trailed to the floor.

"Did you finally decide?"

"Toshi-san!"

Satomi watched as Hijikata's eyes widened before he whirled around. "Gen-san! What...?"

Gen-san's smile was fond. "It's good to see you again."

"You're supposed to be...you're not one of _them_ are you?" He accused.

"A sorcerer? No...but I found a way to be sure that I could play my part to right the wrong done to you."

Satomi couldn't see Hijikata's facial expressions, but she could tell from the rise in his shoulders that he was uncomfortable. "I see you know...Tanaka."

"I was the one who sold her your lamp."

"Gen-san!" Satomi noted the slight whine in the man's tone.

"You need to give her a chance. She's willing to give you another one despite your rudeness."

"I wasn't...!" 

"According to her, you refused to give your name. Is that so?" It was an accusation gently delivered. Even Satomi wouldn't be able to resist answering.

There was a pause, and his head snapped to the side. "Tch!"

Gen-san's smile was warm. "She's your master now, and you'll have to make due with that. I think...she'll surprise you."

Hijikata turned his body slightly until he could peer at her over his shoulder. Her body jolted to see uncertainty in his violet eyes. She hoped her own gaze was reassuring despite how guarded she felt. 

"I don't know how you managed this..."

"I wasn't ever your master. Since I never summoned you, I never activated the time limit."

"There's a time limit?" 

Hijikata's head dropped to his chest with a sigh. "Yeah. If you don't use your wishes in three months, the lamp disappears."

"I see."

"So, are you willing to take the lamp back home?" Gen-san asked.

Satomi sighed. As much as their initial meeting rankled her, she did still feel that if there was something she could do--she wasn't exactly sure what yet--she should. "If Hijikata-san wants to."

"I don't have much of a choice. You're my master and I must obey."

 _He's so fucking cranky._ "Okay, fine. I don't know why I'm agreeing to this...but yes."

Hijikata smirked. "Oh? Are you sure it's not the lure of those wishes?"

Satomi stood, her eyes closed to slits and her fingers gripped the lamp tightly until they began to perspire. "That's what you'd like to think."

"Talk is cheap."

"Toshi-san!"

"No, it's fine, Gen-san. He's right. Talk _is_ cheap." Her eyes sparked with the unspoken challenge she was presenting Hijikata. _I'm going to prove you wrong, you judgmental bastard._

Gen-san approached Satomi and clasped her shoulders. Satomi immediately tensed, uncomfortable with his touch. He briefly squeezed before removing his hands. "Thank you, Tanaka-san."

Her answering chuckle was insecure. "I'll...do what I can."

"I know. If you need anything, please come to me." Gen-san returned his attention to Hijikata. "Give her a chance, ne?"

Hijikata remained silent as he disappeared back into the lamp.


	3. Chapter 3

The walk back to her house was a blur as all Satomi’s attention turned inward to think through the meeting with Gen-san. She did feel some sympathy toward Hijikata for the predicament he was in; however, it was tempered by his sour disposition. Just thinking about his scowl was enough to get her blood rushing and her skin flushing with her annoyance.

She had been manipulated. She wasn’t sure how Gen-san had been able to read her so well, for she felt she was an expert at keeping her weaknesses concealed, but he had succeeded. She was mad at herself for being influenced so easily. She knew that she couldn’t return the lamp now, not when she had given her word that she would do what she could. And she wasn’t one to go back on her word.

At the house, the lamp was placed on the coffee table before she wandered to the kitchen. She went through her usual tea-making routine, wondering how she had been talked into keeping the object and subsequently the man within. She sighed as she set her mug aside to cool a bit so she could inspect her refrigerator and pantry for necessary grocery items.

_Does he need to eat? I wonder what he likes..._ Satomi groaned. _Fuck...I have to summon him..._

She heaved a sigh and returned to the living room. She rubbed the lamp. Her whole body tensed at the sight of the purple smoke, and she snorted at herself with derision. _Boy does he have me trained to react a certain way when he arrives..._

He presented as he usually did with his arms crossed and buried deep within his wide sleeves, though she noticed that his eyes were a little softer than they had been. She could sense a sort of wariness radiating from him, which she would’ve thought through some more if she didn’t have the urge to just get the conversation over with.

“Yes?”

His tone was as sharp as ever, inducing a tired sigh from Satomi. “I just wanted to know what you like to eat.”

His eyes widened for the briefest of moments before his brow furrowed. “Why?”

“I’m going to work tomorrow and you’ll be here alone. I want to be sure there are things here for you to eat. I...oh, can you cook?”

“I can...not that it matters.”

“Why not?”

“I can return to the lamp whenever I wish, but I have to be summoned to leave it.”

“Oh...” She understood what he was getting at. She would have to allow him to remain outside the lamp in order to partake of any food she might buy for him _Awkward...I’ll be living with a strange man who doesn’t like me much._ “Okay...well...” She shrugged. "I have a room-"

"Absolutely not!" His eyes had darkened at her words, and he quickly disappeared back into the lamp. 

"Ohhhh no," Satomi fumed after she got over her shock at his abrupt departure. She leaned over and rubbed the lamp. She waited for the smoke to clear to make eye contact with the irascible genie before she launched into her tirade. "You didn't let me finish! I'm _trying_ to make you comfortable, and the least you could do is hear me out before you storm off in a tizzy!"

"I'm _not_ going to share a bed with you," he growled.

Satomi's heart stuttered at his words. "Huh?!" She blushed. "That's rather presumptuous of you! I don't... _sleep_ with random men I just met!"

Hijikata glared at her in response. Satomi was extremely offended, but she could tell he wasn't going to readily apologize. And she wanted that. She shook her head with a roll of her eyes and returned to the kitchen. She picked up her mug of tea and took a sip, silently bemoaning that she had left it alone for too long. It was cold. _As cold as he is_ , she thought bitterly. She stuck the mug into the microwave, setting a time. When she turned around, she saw Hijikata standing in the doorway. 

The staredown began. Neither was willing to be the first to speak, and the silence continued to press down on them with each passing second. The tension continued to grow until it stifled, and then it was broken by the shrill beeping of the microwave.

Satomi turned to the appliance and retrieved her steaming mug from within. "We can't get anywhere if you keep assuming things about me," she said stiffly.

When he didn’t answer right away, Satomi sighed, thinking that he was going to continue to refuse to communicate with her. She shut the microwave door and clasping the mug in both hands, took a sip.

“What were you going to say?” He asked begrudgingly.

Satomi closed her eyes, silently telling herself to remain calm. She opened them and turned to address him. “I was going to say I have a guest room. You’re welcome to use it. I assume...the lamp isn’t a very homey place.”

“Yeah. Cramped, dark...”

“So no magic to make it seem bigger than it actually is?” she cautiously teased.

“Not when it can be used as a way to torture someone.”

“Oh.” 

Knowing what she knew of Serizawa, it made sense that Hijikata would be unable to manipulate the interior of the lamp. But there had to be more behind his defensiveness than the inability to make his living situation more pleasant. _What happened to him?_ She could tell that he either didn’t want to talk about it or he didn’t trust her enough to divulge that information. Or both. She approached Hijikata, motioning for him to follow her.

“C’mon. I’ll show you where it is.”

She walked through the living room and down the hallway to the first door on the right. She opened it and stepped aside to allow Hijikata entry. He hesitated at the doorway before going in. Satomi stood out in the hall to observe—she didn’t want to intrude to show him that this was his space.

“It’s yours while you’re here. I won’t go in without your permission.”

He eyed her over his shoulder. “Why?”

“Well, I want you to consider it your space and-“

“No. Why are you doing this?”

“Because...I can’t imagine keeping you in such a cramped thing. It’s not fair to you.”

Hijikata’s eyes softened, and a more gentle sigh escaped from his lips. “I guess this’ll do while I’m here.” 

Satomi smiled. “I’m glad.”

* * * * *

Satomi walked into the office that Monday morning, clutching her thermos of tea as if her life depended on it. After the events of the weekend, she didn’t feel well-rested and ready to take on another week. She had spent Sunday shopping for groceries and cleaning her house while trying to break the ice with Hijikata.

Hijikata was _exhausting_. He was so guarded that most conversation stalled quickly, and the aura he gave off always made Satomi feel on edge. That night, she hadn’t slept well. She stirred every time she heard a noise, wondering what the genie was up to. He quickly left her feeling completely depleted of energy.

“Good morning!” A cheerful voice chirped.

Satomi plastered a smile on her face as she approached the receptionist, Yukimura Chizuru. She stopped in front of the desk, resting her thermos on the surface. "Please tell me my nine o'clock cancelled."

"Yeah," she said sheepishly. 

Satomi sighed with relief, glad to have an extra hour to wake up. "If you don't mind sending a letter? This is the third time..."

"Will do!" A short pause. "How was your weekend?"

Satomi rolled her eyes with a dramatic sigh before picking up her thermos. "It didn't feel like a weekend." She took a long swig of her tea, wincing when she realized it was slightly too hot to be drinking.

"I'm sorry! I hope your day isn't very stressful."

Satomi nodded before walking toward her office. She came to the door, pulling out her keys to unlock it. When she succeeded in gaining entry to the room, a warm voice sounded from behind her.

"How was the rest of your weekend?”

Satomi whirled around, her stomach dropping at the sight of Sano. _Oh shit..._ "Oh...fine."

"Do anything interesting?"

Satomi made a beeline for her desk to deposit thermos, purse, and keys on its surface. She let out a nervous chuckle. "Not really.”

Sano's eyebrow arched toward his hairline. "Is...everything okay?"

Satomi knew he could read her extremely well, and normally, she wouldn't hesitate to tell Sano about anything that was bothering her. But how could she tell him about a _genie_? She doubted that he would believe her tale. _And why should he? It sounds ridiculous! I barely believed what Gen-san was telling me._ "Yeah...just tired."

"Your dad didn't call you again, did he?"

Satomi shook her head vigorously. "No no no no. Thankfully. No...I just...didn't sleep well."

"Okay." A pause. "So your first client cancelled again?"

"Yeah. I kinda felt he would...he didn't like that I was challenging some of his behaviors."

Sano shrugged. "Do you think he'd relate better to a male therapist?"

"No, to be honest. He just wants someone who's not going to question him. He's a total narcissist. I'm having Chizuru send him a letter. If he doesn't reschedule in two weeks, I'll close him out."

Sano nodded. "Okay." 

He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something else, but he shut it again. The resulting silence became awkward, and Satomi shifted her feet. A part of her wanted to test the waters—see how Sano would react to the possibility of a genie hanging out in her house—but after their conversation Saturday night in which she pushed him away, she felt that maybe it was best that he didn't know she was sharing her living space with another man.

“Hey...did you get that lamp all cleaned up?”

_I guess I’m gonna see how this goes..._ “Yeah...kinda."

Sano’s lips quirked into a half smile. “Did a genie pop out?”

_Ahaha...yeah, that’s exactly what I was gonna say._ “Funny."

Sano laughed. "Sorry. I couldn't resist. I'll let you get to it."

"Thanks."

* * * * *

Satomi returned to her house, removing her shoes at the door with a sigh of relief. It felt so good to take them off after a long day. She placed her keys on a small table against the wall and then removed her light jacket, hanging it in the closet. She walked toward her living room, taking a few deep breaths to prepare herself for Hijikata. She expected him to be guardd and unwilling to converse with her. 

When she came to the living room, she was surprised to find it empty. She crossed the room to the kitchen, wondering if Hijikata was there. When that room was discovered to be empty, she went back through the living room and down the hall. She stopped before the closed door of the guest bedroom, her heart leaping up into her throat. She wondered if she should knock. She was pretty sure he'd only yell in response. She didn't want to deal with that, but at the same time, she felt she should check in on him as he was her guest.

She swallowed thickly, exhaled, and then knocked on the door. A beat passed. "Hijikata?"

The door slowly opened just wide enough for her to see him. He didn't look pleased, which was what she was expecting. Despite that, his gaze still penetrated and made her stomach twist.

"Yeah?"

"Oh...I, um...I just wanted to see how you're doing."

"Fine."

She nodded absently, now feeling rushed to get this conversation over with. "Did you want dinner?"

"I'm fine." And the door shut.

Satomi exhaled through pursed lips, releasing the built-up tension in her body. A part of her was very annoyed with his demeanor, but she knew she had to let it go for now. He wasn't being blatantly rude to her, and she really didn't want any more conflict today. She had experienced plenty of vicarious conflict through her clients. Satomi made her way back to the kitchen and began to prepare dinner. 

The minutes ticked away, and she began to relax as she went through the routine of cooking. When she had finished making dinner, she took her bowl to the dining room table and sat. She began to eat as she scrolled through her phone, looking at emails. She then heard the shuffling of feet, and she looked up to see Hijikata standing in the room. 

"Did you change your mind?" She asked cautiously.

He shook his head. "Have you thought about your wishes?"

Satomi set her phone on the table and turned her full attention to the man. "No. I mean...it's rather broad, isn't it? I could wish for anything."

He shook his head. "No. Not _anything_."

"Okay...so what can't I wish for?"

"I can't kill anybody."

Satomi snorted. "Well, that's good. I wouldn't want that anyway."

"I can't make anybody fall in love with another person."

Satomi smirked. "Fair enough."

"I can't bring people back from the dead."

"Okay. Anything else you can't do?"

"No."

"Okay then. Well...the info is helpful. Though, it really doesn't help narrow down possibilities for me."

Hijikata slowly approached the table. She could tell he wanted to sit, but she was also aware that he probably felt sitting across from her would be a show of vulnerability and comfort around her. Despite that, she gestured to the empty chair across from her, offering him to sit. His eyes slid to the proffered chair, but he didn't accept.

"What do you want?"

Satomi gazed down at her bowl. "A lot, I guess. I have a lot of frivolous wants. Enough money to pay off my student loans...and not worry about bills or any expenses. Pursuing other employment opportunities without fear of not making enough money to live. But honestly? It's not something I'd waste a wish on."

"Anything else?"

_A better relationship with my family? But that's not something I'm willing to discuss with him right now._ Satomi shrugged. "Again...nothing I'd waste wishes on. I want them to _mean_ something."

Hijikata snorted and rolled his eyes. " _Everyone_ says that. In the end, they're all the same. Selfish assholes."

"I think that's rather close-minded of you. Sure, we all have a streak of selfishness, but not _everyone_ is a selfish asshole."

"Everyone I've met is."

"Even Gen-san?" Satomi challenged.

Hijikata's eyes widened briefly before he looked away. "No. Not him."

Satomi's answering smile was cat-like. "The problem with generalities is that they're seldom true."

"Fine." He looked back at her. "I'm here to grant wishes. I don't care about what you think about what I say. My experiences are what they are. And your self-righteousness isn't going to change what I think."

Satomi's mouth dropped open, and she struggled to find words. "I wasn't being-!"

"It doesn't matter. Like I said, I'm just here to grant wishes. Let me know when you're ready." He turned and began to exit the room.

"And I'm here to help you! Don't forget that!" Satomi called.

Hijikata paused and looked back at her over his shoulder. "I doubt you'll do it."

"Why?"

"Just as you said...everyone has a selfish streak." And with that, Hijikata left the room.


End file.
